Trump Warns US Will Hit Iran 'Extremely Hard' in Coming Weeks; Says Israel 'Will Do What I Tell Them'

US President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric toward Iran on April 3, 2026, telling reporters the United States would strike Iran 'extremely hard over the next two to three weeks' as the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure entered its fifth week. Trump added that Israel 'will do what I tell them' and would halt attacks on Iran 'when I stop,' asserting near-complete US control over Israeli military decision-making in the regional war. The statements, reported in the Times of Israel April 3 liveblog, effectively confirmed that Phase 2 ceasefire negotiations in Gaza remain on indefinite hold as long as the Iran war continues. Trump's remarks came one day after the Houthis launched their fourth coordinated missile barrage on Israel and Iran struck Israeli territory with cluster munitions, causing five light casualties. Gaza diplomacy has been sidelined since late February when Israel closed all crossings following Iran's initial attack; the Board of Peace disarmament framework for Hamas also remains stalled with no Hamas response to the proposal. The 2026 Flash Appeal for Gaza ($4.1B) stands 93% unfunded, and all land crossings have been shut for 34 consecutive days as of April 3.